A couple in north-west India have been arrested for allegedly selling their newborn baby because they could not afford medical treatment for their sick toddler.
Parents Sandhya Devi and Ashok Kumar are suspected of selling their baby to their neighbours in the Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan state for 40,000 rupees - roughly £460.
The neighbouring couple, Vinod and Shakuntla Agarwal, have also been arrested and bailed. It is alleged they offered to pay for the child when they heard Mrs Kumar was pregnant.
The case only came to light when the baby's parents complained to police that the Agarwals had not handed over all the money they were promised.
Ashok Kumar and Sandhya Devi were approached to sell their newborn son to raise money for medical treatment for their disabled toddler
The Kumars' baby boy was born on July 31 this year and handed to their neighbours four days later.
The baby's older brother suffered a debilitating illness from birth and is disabled. His parents could not afford treatment and a middleman approached them to broker a deal with their neighbours.
Ashok Kumar said: 'We had gone to the hospital just for my wife to have a check-up but a midwife, Madhu, approached us with an offer to give the baby for adoption.
'We desperately needed money for our older son's treatment and Madhu told us that the adoptive parents would pay 40,000 INR which would cover the medical bills.
'We were more than happy to see our paralytic child get medical help and walk so we agreed to give our new born up for adoption.
'But the adoptive parents took the baby when he was three days old but had only paid us 20,000 INR.
'They fraudulently completed the adoption papers and then just disappeared, with the baby. That's when we went to police for their help.
'We didn't sell our baby, we gave him for adoption. But now, I don't want to give him for adoption.'
Sharwan Das, Investigating Officer, said: 'The couple Ashok and Sandhya, had taken money from their neighbours in exchange for their son.
'We came to know about the case when there was a problem about the money exchange.
'A case has now been filed against all involved including the parents, adoptive parents and the midwife. Five arrests were made. They have now been released on bail.
'The baby was handed back to the mother after her bail release as he had become weak.'
Police said they are investigating the roles of six other people in the case, including a government official.
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